Ten sensitive installations in six states and one union territory have been declared of bounds to the general public, with the Centre claiming that any knowledge about certain actions conducted at these locations could be valuable to India's adversaries.
The Union Home Ministry stated in a notification that the sensitive installations are located in Telangana, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Kerala, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, invoking the Official Secrets Act.
"...the central government is satisfied that the information with respect to certain activities carried on in the places specified...shall be useful to an enemy. And, whereas, the central government considers it expedient that special precautions shall be taken to prevent access of unauthorised persons to such places," the MHA said in a notification.
"Therefore, then, in the exercise of the powers conferred by...the Official Secrets Act, 1923 (19 of 1923), the central government now declares the places specified...a prohibited place for the purpose of the said Act," as stated in the notification.
Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Bihar each have two, while Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands each have one.
The Official Secrets Act (OSA) of 1923 is India's anti-espionage law. It adds that actions that include assisting an enemy state against India are strictly condemned. It further stipulates that one may not approach, inspect, or even pass over a restricted government place or region. According to the act, aiding an enemy state can take the form of providing to the adversary a sketch, plan, or model of an official secret, or of official codes or passwords.
The Officials Secrets Act has its roots in the British colonial period. This was implemented primarily with the intention of silencing the voice of numerous publications that had sprouted up in several languages and were critical of the policies of the Raj.